Characterization of Tayyarat Tight Carbonate Extreme Heavy Oil: Comprehensive Recovery Overview

Summary This study delves into the unique characteristics of the Tayyarat formation, a Kuwaiti carbonate reservoir classified as an extremely heavy oil with a tight pore/ perm pore network. Pyrolysis experiments have successfully determined the Tayyarat total organic content (TOC), which is reported to be a rich 33.51%. Several comparable IOR treatments, such as toluene solvent extraction, water extraction, and water-surfactant extraction, have been successful but have different hydrocarbon recovery yields under different temperature settings. The solid-like heavy oil flow is described as highly viscous with measured “API density close to 1 and calculated natural flow mobility close to zero. Kuwait reservoirs’ extreme heavy oil challenge is classified as a strategic and complex future reserve. This study uses geochemistry characterization, recovery improvement, and modeling to focus on Tayyarat’s next-generation extreme heavy oil recovery. Next-generation unconventional crude oil is mainly concerned with extreme heavy oil recovery from the Tayyarat carbonate formation. The study will cover interesting fundamental aspects concerning heavy oil origin, characterization, recovery improvement, and modeling. Oil companies in the region are grappling with the significant challenges of developing and managing oil reservoirs with extreme heavy oil presence. Maximizing recovery from this reservoir with unique heavy hydrocarbon molecules is crucial, and all relevant improved aspects encompassed within the value chain, from identification/Characterization to production, should be considered. Unconventional reserve identification, development, and production are becoming increasingly crucial to Kuwait as they contribute to adding reserves in commercial quantities and simplifying these challenges, including characterization, recovery strategies, modeling, well placement, and real-time measurements of advanced technologies. The combination of an increase in temperature and the type of extracting agent has cracked the extremely heavy oil hydrocarbon available in the carbonate rock. This process forces the solid residue to improve in its mobility and extremely viscous nature, causing it to be less resistant to flow as appreciated recovery quantities. Four carbon-density flow regimes have been identified in this extreme heavy oil composition mix. Each flow regime has performed a unique recovery potential within the extreme viscous composition mix. This characterization will focus on what these solid-like molecules are made of, how dense they can be, and the potential quantity and quality of oil produced. All current recovery approaches are experimental and have a unique design. Published research on recovering heavy oil from similar unconventional heavy oil is relatively rare and limited.